Let the countdown begin. Come Sunday, defensive end Chad Bratzke makes a triumphant return to Giants Stadium when the Colts arrive to face the Giants.

Bratzke left the Giants this past offseason for free-agent riches and signed a cool six-year, $30 million contract that included a $9 million signing bonus. He is now completely free of the shadow cast by Pro Bowl end Michael Strahan, as Bratzke comes in with seven sacks, good for a share of second place in the AFC.

Bratzke, a fifth-round draft pick by the Giants in 1994 who has exceeded all expectations, had a career-high 11 sacks last season. The big money and the lack of defensive help along the line like Strahan and Keith Hamilton to lean on for support has not hurt Bratzke, who is a key member of the Colts and their improved defense.

It is up to Roman Oben, the Giants’ left tackle, to prevent Bratzke from making this a destructive reunion.

“He’s always played hard,” Oben said. “The difference between him and some other guys, some guys take plays off, I don’t want to say fold it up, but after you’ve pounded ’em a little bit they don’t give you that same effort. Bratzke gives that same effort the whole game.”

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The Colts have made an impression on the Giants. As one of the surprise teams in the league at 6-2, the Colts are a formidable offensive machine, fueled by the threesome of QB Peyton Manning, WR Marvin Harrison and RB Edgerrin James.

“It’s like a three-headed monster,” Jessie Armstead said. “You cut one of ’em off [and] you’ve still got to deal with the other two. Any one of the three can kill you.”

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Watching games this past weekend reassured Kent Graham that the Giants are not the only team having trouble scoring points. “Hey, there’s a lot of offenses out there struggling right now,” Graham said. “Everyone talks about Miami now. This is what cracks me up, they’re not putting up all those points, but what are they doing? They’re protecting the ball. We’re doing that too, trying to do that. They have a good defense, we have a good defense. It’s all about how do you go about winning games?”

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After visiting with a specialist last week in Cincinnati, CB Conrad Hamilton said he has been cleared to begin exercising. He did not rule himself out of Sunday’s game but labeled the Nov. 21 game at Washington as more likely for his 1999 debut. “That would be more realistic,” said Hamilton, who has not played this season because of injuries to his right ankle and knee. Hamilton yesterday rode a stationary bicycle.